Born in New York and raised by his mother, a NYC art teacher, Ilan constantly involved himself in creative projects. His style, which was described by a peer as "crazy complex, yet somehow simple and very trippy", began to develop in middle school after watching a TV special on crop circles. From there he spent time drawing intricate designs that incorporated events from his daily life. This continued through his studies at Wake Forest University where he graduated in 2010 with a B.S., majoring in Health and Exercise Science and minoring in Psychology. Following graduation, he signed with Ford Models and moved to New York City.
For the next few years, Ilan dedicated his efforts to modeling and building a successful business with his college roommate. Needing time to relax and unwind, nighttime doodling became his Netflix and his passion for visual arts was reestablished. Through his modeling and business experiences, Ilan learned that experimentation despite potential failure, is a vital step in development and one that should be applied to his art. As such, he transitioned from pen doodles, to other drawing and painting mediums on new and foreign surfaces.